How to pick which Detachment you want to belong to

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maxib7

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As I'm narrowing my college list down, it's getting harder to prefer one college over another. So pretty much the deciding factor for me is which ROTC program do I want to be apart of.

For me, I am talking about AFROTC, but I want this thread to be applicable to anyone. So any branch of ROTC is fine.

I was wondering what are the factors that might make some ROTC programs more preferable than others. Such as:
Size of Detachment. Does it really matter? A larger program might offer you more opportunities, but a smaller one might allow for a closer knit community and better relationship with your Cadre.

Obviously this is opinion based and people can prefer different things, but I was looking up different things about what makes an experience better and couldn't find anything that really laid it all out and told me what to look for when I visit a college or ask about the detachment.


This thread is (hopefully) to people who are serious about ROTC and want it to play a large role in their college experience so they want an ROTC program that will give them the best opportunity for success (i.e. either being in leadership positions or a better chance to commission. <- if that's even able to be quantified) but also a good experience.
 
There is no one answer. Smaller detachment might fit one kid while another would thrive in a larger detachment. It's something each individual has to decide. At the end of the day, it's not about the detachment, it's really about what you make of it.
 
One factor I would look at is how the broader college community feels about the ROTC program on campus. Do administrators and students support the program? Are there negative feelings about the program? Does the university give you course credit for ROTC classes to fulfill electives? Do the academic advisors work with you to insure you can get the classes you need to work around your ROTC class/lab commitments? Does the college offer free/reduced room and board or other financial incentives to those in ROTC?
 
Look more toward what you want in college and as acareer. While some focus on PFT more, are you getting a 100 pt score? If not you may need a pt oriented program to keep you on track, some care some don't. Some have high EA averages some don't, same with rated selects. Those are questions to ask cadre. All depends on you as a person and what you are looking for.
 
Some dets have a "shape up or get out" mentality, some dets have programs in place to help cadets get better. Some dets PT more often than other dets. At my DS det, they have a cadet run training program for cadets who fail the PFA to help them pass; other dets don't have this. Some dets have a year long FT preparation program, some only do it for a semester, and some don't have any form of FT prep at all. There are a myriad of differences that all cannot be listed here. And all of this is dependent on the current det commander as well.
 
Academics come first- that's what we're always told at our det. If you can't graduate, you can't commission. With that in mind, you want to make sure that the college you attend will allow you to thrive, and school shouldn't be something you have to worry about (more than what is healthy/normal) or something that will adversely affect the rest of your life, your pursuit of a commission included. And if nothing else, dets will change a lot more quickly than schools. With new cadre, budgets, etc. come new atmospheres.
 
Personally, I love being in a VERY large detachment. About 150+ plus cadets.

It's great because we get to have real leadership experience, as lots of work and leadership is required when you have that many people.

It's also great knowing you have a ton of people that have your back, and would do anything for you.

I could not imagine not doing a large detachment, as I have gained a number of perspectives and my leadership really had developed.
 
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